Girl vs Woman

[Discordian 6,013]

If you don't know the gender, it's acceptable to assume that it's masculine. The best way I can explain it is like this:

 

Suppose you're driving a car. Suppose someone pulls out in front of you, but you can't see their face. You can see their car, but not the person inside. It could be a girl, but it could also be a guy. "This guy is driving like a jerk" is more acceptable to say, whereas "this girl is driving like a jerk" sounds kinda weird, if you don't know it's a girl driving.

That's why we have terms like "person" which don't indicate any such gender, especially when gender is unknown.

 

Seems to me if there's any dominance towards men in the language it's because of the misuse of the language more than the language itself.

[Flash Fire 386]

Do explain. Not entirely sure what you mean here.

You said you thought it was silly to think language was formed in a way to give one gender power over another. It's probably not what you meant, but still.

[Discordian 6,013]

You said you thought it was silly to think language was formed in a way to give one gender power over another. It's probably not what you meant, but still.

I know what I said but I don't know what you meant by what you said. The combination of words is confusing to me.

[Planty 1,052]

She's looking too far into it. I don't say any of those things, and I've never heard anyone say them either.

 

It's really just a speech thing. Like how Adam and Alec sounds better than Alec and Adam. It sounds right to say 'Stupid woman' instead of 'Stupid girl'

 

Equally I think it's also where your from?

 

I have herd loads of people say stupid girl where I live.

 

It's more often, however, that sill woman or "Bitch" is used but that doesn't really help the argument's for either side.

[Guest]

sounds like she just wants something to complain about.

 

typical woman. (get mad I don't care, literally almost all girls I know complain over the dumbest shit)

 

regardless, she probably just needs to chill. Not everything on Earth is sexist, I swear.

 

EDIT:

 

maybe i just don't get offended as easily as a lot of people. Idk.

Edited February 16, 2014 by Rae ~

[Admiral Regulus 2,769]

That's why we have terms like "person" which don't indicate any such gender, especially when gender is unknown.

 

Seems to me if there's any dominance towards men in the language it's because of the misuse of the language more than the language itself.

 

Okay then. What about this. Which are you more likely to say? "What does this person think he's doing?" or "what does this person think she's doing?"

 

I suppose it is acceptable to say "what does this person think they're doing," but it feels more natural to say he. It is conventionally acceptable to say he if the gender is unknown, and that's why we say that the masculine gender is the default.

[Flash Fire 386]

I know what I said but I don't know what you meant by what you said. The combination of words is confusing to me.

Many languages are inherently masculine biased. Language wise, masculinity does prevail. In english it's most apparent in the words man and mankind. Man is a masculine word, yet it's describing a gender neutral group. Also what Regulus said above.

[Discordian 6,013]

sounds like she just wants something to complain about.

 

typical woman. (get mad I don't care, literally almost all girls I know complain over the dumbest shit)

 

regardless, she probably just needs to chill. Not everything on Earth is sexist, I swear.

There's also this. It's just so...irrelevant to anything. It's one of those things one would complain about because they need something to complain about.

Okay then. What about this. Which are you more likely to say? "What does this person think he's doing?" or "what does this person think she's doing?"

 

I suppose it is acceptable to say "what does this person think they're doing," but it feels more natural to say he. It is conventionally acceptable to say he if the gender is unknown, and that's why we say that the masculine gender is the default.

I would use "they're" because it's the proper way to address an unknown/ambiguous entity other than yourself.

 

Many languages are inherently masculine biased. Language wise, masculinity does prevail. In english it's most apparent in the words man and mankind. Man is a masculine word, yet it's describing a gender neutral group. Also what Regulus said above.

This really isn't something I can really back up on my part as the only language I do know is English but it's not something that generally comes into conversation...ever. Why is it an issue now when it never should cause such a huff? That's why I call it silly. It feels like a pointless argument to be had. If it was the other way around it wouldn't be any more or less of an issue. It's miniscule in nature.

[Admiral Regulus 2,769]

Masculine is the dominant gender in English, as I've already explained. But you're right in thinking that it's silly to complain about. It is silly to complain about. I'm just stating the facts--not that I actually care about them.

[Discordian 6,013]

Masculine is the dominant gender in English, as I've already explained. But you're right in thinking that it's silly to complain about. It is silly to complain about. I'm just stating the facts--not that I actually care about them.

It's also a fact that the only reason language is so powerful is because of the meaning behind it more the words themselves. The meaning is far more important than the word so the difference between "male" and "female" being merely words and the meaning is to differentiate between two biological genders matters more than whether the words look the same or have the same origins or whatnot.

 

Not that I want to fuel anymore arguments but what something is called and what something is are two different things.

Edited February 16, 2014 by Discordian

[Flash Fire 386]

Masculine is the dominant gender in English, as I've already explained. But you're right in thinking that it's silly to complain about. It is silly to complain about. I'm just stating the facts--not that I actually care about them.

Exactly.

There's also this. It's just so...irrelevant to anything. It's one of those things one would complain about because they need something to complain about.I would use "they're" because it's the proper way to address an unknown/ambiguous entity other than yourself. This really isn't something I can really back up on my part as the only language I do know is English but it's not something that generally comes into conversation...ever. Why is it an issue now when it never should cause such a huff? That's why I call it silly. It feels like a pointless argument to be had. If it was the other way around it wouldn't be any more or less of an issue. It's miniscule in nature.

See, that's where I misunderstood. It seemed like you thought that english wasn't gender biased from your first statement. But it could be the sickness + cold medicine fogging my brain too.

[Discordian 6,013]

Exactly.

See, that's where I misunderstood. It seemed like you thought that english wasn't gender biased from your first statement. But it could be the sickness + cold medicine fogging my brain too.

Well no, there actually is differentiating terms for each gender. There's no denying that. It's just the idea that one gender has more power than the other because of a word, in spite of it's underlying meaning, doesn't sit right with me.

[Hive King 1,998]

@,

.....I  love you so much right now, you have no idea. You're one of those few people that can tell when things are pushed too far, even when it's about your own gender(I really hope that your avatar is a selfie as I say this, other-wise my last sentence fell apart) 

[Guest]

@,

.....I  love you so much right now, you have no idea. You're one of those few people that can tell when things are pushed too far, even when it's about your own gender(I really hope that your avatar is a selfie as I say this, other-wise my last sentence fell apart) 

haha yes that is me. Idk, I just think it's so dumb that people get offended over the smallest things. Like, chill. Not everything has to turn into an arguement. xD but thank you. ^^

[Hive King 1,998]

@,

 

 

I WUV YOU SO MUCH...NOT IN THAT WAY! 

 

Seeing a girl or guy who doesn't mind poking fun at themselves is rare and awesome. You get hugs!

[Judgement 445]

Oh yeah, my friend also says this never happens with men. She says that no one ever says "Good job, boy" or the like because it would be rude. I love my friend, but she does this so often

It's probably just the way people interact with others of the same sex. It could be because "Woman" doesn't sound right. "Good job, man!" sounds right, but that is because man is only three letters and woman is five. Your friend is looking too far into it. When you congratulate a friend, you want it to be quickest, even by just a couple of letters. I actually hear "Good job, boy" sometimes when an older male refers to a younger male.

Edited February 16, 2014 by Judgement

[Lucky Bolt 34,914]

I could care less honestly. Although...I prefer people call me a girl rather than woman cause it makes me sound old. 

[Dreambiscuit 8,024]

Personally I hate being called a ‘woman’ because it’s another one of those absurd feminist ideas that anything else is somehow a downgrade. I am a girl, a lady, a b**** or anything else you like to call me, but ‘woman’ is off the list because it’s been poisoned with stupid connotations.  

[Methuselah 291]

1 hour ago, Dreambiscuit said:

Personally I hate being called a ‘woman’ because it’s another one of those absurd feminist ideas that anything else is somehow a downgrade. I am a girl, a lady, a b**** or anything else you like to call me, but ‘woman’ is off the list because it’s been poisoned with stupid connotations.  

You... you don't mind if people call you a b****? :-X

[Lucky Bolt 34,914]

1 hour ago, Methuselah said:

You... you don't mind if people call you a b****? :-X

Well, neither do I. It’s better than woman believe it or not. 

[Methuselah 291]

2 minutes ago, Lucky Bolt said:

Well, neither do I. It’s better than woman believe it or not. 

My head hurts. Not just because my health's in the toilet today, but because you two prefer being called a b**** over a woman.

[Rebel the Wolfgirl 5,585]

3 hours ago, Dreambiscuit said:

a b****

 

11 minutes ago, Lucky Bolt said:

Well, neither do I. It’s better than woman believe it or not. 

 

6 minutes ago, Methuselah said:

My head hurts. Not just because my health's in the toilet today, but because you two prefer being called a b**** over a woman.

Hey, if they prefer being called bitches and proud of it, then more power to them.

[Methuselah 291]

*wonders if there are guys who prefer being called dicks*

[Rebel the Wolfgirl 5,585]

Just now, Methuselah said:

*wonders if there are guys who prefer being called dicks*

As like, an endearing term, then yes. Like, "Ah, you dick!", etc.

[Methuselah 291]

1 minute ago, Renegade the Unicorn said:

As like, an endearing term, then yes. Like, "Ah, you dick!", etc.

I don't know if I've heard it used as an endearing term, but I do live under a rock.